JARROW’S John Shepherd has set his sights on breaking into the international set-up after the 64-year-old embarrassed the establishment at the British Open’s veteran down the line class at Bywell.

A score of 298 saw Shepherd (pictured right) win the seniors event (he was 22nd overall out of 495 and joint fifth in the A-class), despite having missed selection for the England veterans team.

“I go in for all the national competitions but this is the first major I’ve won,” he said. “I’d gone for the national team selection shoot earlier in the year but missed the cut, so it was quite embarrassing for them when I won the British Open.

“They only choose five veterans for the team so I’m hoping to get in there for next year. My aim is to get into the England team for next year’s European Championships in southern Ireland.”

The retired former soldier is making up for lost time after being a late-comer to the sport.

“I’ve been doing it for about 15 years,” he said. “My sister, Penny Bateman, shot at the local club, Springwell in Gateshead, and got me into it. I started off there – it’s what they call an unregistered club – and I’m now a member of three different clubs.

“Until then I’d just never thought of it. I spent 12 years in the army and when my sister suggested it I thought I’d give it a go.” Shepherd admits the sport suffered in the wake of the tragedies in Hungerford and Dunblane but, despite an image problem, he believes its popularity is on the increase.

“It’s getting more popular. The CPSA (Clay Pigeon Shooting Association) have got about half a million members. It’s got an image as a sport for posh people but that’s not the case. It’s a classless thing, you get everybody and everyone shooting. People are very willing to help you and it’s no more expensive than golf.”